Cooking Courses / Chef Training in Italy

Italian Culinary Institute:
Situated in the heart of the stunning Calabria region of Southern Italy, Italian Culinary Institute is one of Europe's finest chef training academies. We provide a 3-month, full immersion, Master of Italian Cuisine course as well as short-term culinary, baking, pastry and gelato programs taught in English and Italian.

Professional Italian Cooking Courses:
- Courses taught in English and Italian by English speaking master chefs

Master of Italian Cuisine:
Duration: 3 months

ICI's longest running all-inclusive program presents the most thorough spectrum of Italian Haute Cuisine in Italy.

The program covers every aspect of gastronomy including traditional and innovative cuisine, pastry, baking, gelato, curing, drying and conserving, pairing food and wines and much more. Course topics include:

• Stage 1: The Evolution of Italian Cuisine (100 hours)
• Stage 2: Cheese Making, Curing Meats & Seafood, Pickling, Mixology (140 hours)
• Stage 3: Pastry, Desserts & Gelato (60 hours)
• Stage 4: Professional Cooking and Wines Part I (50 hours)
• Stage 5: Artisan and Hearth Baking (50 hours)
• Stage 6: Professional Cooking and Wines Part II (50 hours)

The Evolution of Italian Cuisine:
Duration: 2 weeks

The most advanced full immersion culinary course available in Italy. Particular attention is given to nutrition, gustatory perception, recipe development and spectacular plating presentations. Typical itinerary includes:

• Day 1 - Arrival, Check-in and welcome dinner
• Day 2 - Visit and Wine Tasting in an Enoteca; Artisan Gelato Tasting
• Day 3 - The Foundation of Italian Haute Cuisine
• Day 4 - Pasta
• Day 5 - Focaccia, Pizza and Specialty Breads: Tradition and Evolution According to ICI; Dinner at a Hearth Oven Pizzeria
• Day 6 - Neither Meat nor Fish; Mediterranean and Alternative Cuisine; Cucina Espressa
• Day 7 - Market Visit; Plate Decorations & Bread Art, Dinner at a Fine Dining Restaurant
• Day 8 & 9 - Free Days for cultural visits
• Day 10 - Pastry, Cakes and Desserts According to ICI
• Day 11 - Visit to Messina and Taormina, SicilyTaormina sits on bluff overlooking Mt. Etna, Europe's most active volcano and the Mediterranean Sea.
• Day 12 - The Foundation of Regional Italian Cuisine; Regional Italian Cooking
• Day 13 - Cooking Examination and Recap
• Day 14  Fishing boats at mercatino in Soverato - Market Visit; Gala Dinner


1-week Cooking Courses:
• Traditional Italian Charcuterie: Curing Meats, Sausage Making & Artisanal Salumi

• The Foundation of Italian Regional Cuisine: Curing, Pickling & Sun-Drying

• Artisan Italian Gelato: Technique & Production

• Pastry, Desserts & Specialty Breads

• Advanced Mediterranean Cuisine

• Artisan Italian Cheese Making

• Italian Culinary Exploration


Student Testimonials:
•  "In addition to the innovative techniques and recipes at ICI, Chef John's honorable point of view and passion about food still overflows my heart with joy."
Youngjoo Go, South Korea (Artisan Italian Gelato: Technique and Production)

•  "The course was excellent for professional Italian cuisine and advanced techniques for every type of cuisine. As well, we had a wonderful with the beauty of Calabria and the marvelous hospitality throughout. We also made friends for life."
Stavros Manousakis, Greece (The Evolution of Italian Cuisine)